I’ve been trying to organise a CTC group for a track-cutting mission to Pell Stream Hut for a while now. The weather finally lined up with a free weekend, so off I went with a carload of people from Marble Hill Campsite for some gardening.

Getting to the start of the Pell Stream Hut Track:

• The Pell Stream Hut track starts at approximately BT22 3888 1382 / 42°19.53′S 172°15.49′E.
• The start of the track is on the side of a 4WD track. There are three basic options for getting to the 4WD track, all fairly straightforward:
  1. From Marble Hill Campsite
     • Follow the 4WD track directly from the campsite. It’s fairly obvious which one it is (it’s shown on the NZ Topo map).
  2. Across Alfred River (Preferred Route)
     • Follow the Lake Daniell Track for about 400 m after The Sluice Box Bridge (or 700 m from the Marble Hill Campsite).
     • Look for a sign labelled “Alfred River,” which points to the river.
     • Cross the river and find the 4WD track about 50 m away from the river true left of Alfred River.
     • I prefer this route as it avoids the crowded Lake Daniell Track and is shorter and easier.
  3. From Lake Daniell Track (Pell Stream Hut Sign Route)
     • Follow the Lake Daniell Track about halfway and look for a sign labelled “Pell Stream Hut,” pointing east.
     • There’s an unmarked track leading to Alfred River, which you cross.
     • Then the track climbs onto the 4WD track which can be followed to the start of the track.

Pell Stream Hut Track

The track can be divided to 3 sections:

1. From the 4WD Track to Gilchrist Creek

• The first part of the track to pt660 is quite straightforward.
• The track passes through open forest and it’s in reasonable condition.
• The track is quite well-marked, but old Permolat markers need to be cleaned of black mould.

2. From Gilchrist Creek to the Bottom of the West Ridge of pt760

• This section includes a new track that stays on the true right (TR) of Pell Stream for most of the time.
• However, the TR slopes are steep, with many windfalls and slips.
• There are some unavoidable river crossings, which are manageable at low flows but problematic if the stream is in flood.
• More work is needed to find a suitable route that remains on the TR as the current solution requires a few compulsory river crossings.

3. From the Bottom of the West Ridge of pt760 to Pell Stream Hut

• After a steep climb above the stream, the track travels through undulating terrain in open forest.
• This section is in good condition but may require additional markers and some polishing.

Track-Cutting Progress

• We cleared the track from windfalls, cut a lot of new growth etc.
• We placed about 100 new Permolat markers, especially in the third section.
• A large slip near pt660 required us to reroute the track temporarily over the river and back after 50 m. While functional, this solution is not ideal.
• More thought is needed on how to ensure the track stays on the TR as much as possible.

• The start of the Pell Stream Hut track is marked with a sign that needs maintenance. It may be beyond repair, so I’m considering making a new sign to hang at eye level on a tree.
• I’m not afraid to say that the trip was a success! Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and took great satisfaction in the work we accomplished.
• We’ve made significant improvements to the track, and I’m already planning a 2025 CTC track-cutting mission – this time with an exit via the Freyberg Range!

Stats:

IN: 14.9 km, 8h 40min, 760 m ascent (track cutting for about 3 h). Route on NZ Topo Map (GPX download below).

OUT: 16.2 km, 6h 40min, 520 m ascent (track cutting for about 2 h). Route on NZ Topo Map (GPX download below).

Participants: Michal Klajban (leader, scribe, GPX), Jason Bartlett, Blair Skevington, Geoffrey Cornelis, Rachel Perkinson
Tramped on 21-22th December 2024.

Photos

Map – IN

Download file: GPX-hikingisgood-com-nz-2024-Pell_Stream_Track_Cutting_Trip_IN.gpx

Map – OUT

Download file: GPX-hikingisgood-com-nz-2024-Pell_Stram_Track_Cutting_OUT.gpx